Switch



Dec. 29, 1931.

l SWITCH Original Filed March 25. 1929 E. BLOMQUIST 5 4/LQ O 45 n Um for 30 the associated apparatus. ditions Just mentioned where one or more of Patented Dec. 2.9, 1.9.31*

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE ERNST BLoMQUIs'r, oF LOMBARD, ILLINOIS SWITCH Original application led March 25, 1929, Serial No. 349,877. Divided and this application led November 8, 1930. Serial No. 494,235.

The present invention relates to electric switches for opening and closing an electric circuit, and relates more particularly todisconnect switches arrangedv for gang operation whereby they are adapted to be simultaneously operated for cutting in and cutting out various electrical devices.

VAs is well recognized in the artk when workmen are working around electrical dem vices it is particularly desirable, if possible, to have these devices entirely out out of the associated electric circuits and preferably grounded where feasible.y It is for such purpose that disconnect switches are interposed in the electric circuits including such devices. Where disconnect switches are arranged for gang operation, .each gang including two, three, or more individual switches, it sometimes occurs that the operating means for simultaneously throwing all of the switches becomes disabled insuch a manner that one or more ofthe individual switches are not thrown to their proper position with the remaining switches. It is old in the lprior art to associate indicating mechanism with the gang operating means for indicating to workmen whether or not the gang or gangs of switchesare inthe proper position to allow them'to work in and around Under the conthe switches haveV not been moved to their proper position with the others, a condition exists wherein a part ofthe associated appai i'atus or devices is alive and a condition is thereby created making it dangerous for workmen to repair or replace, or otherwise work upon, said apparatus or devices.

lVhere the indicating device` forv the 4o switches is associated with the gang operatingl mechanism it will be seen that there will be no indication whatsoever that one or more of the switches have been left unmoved, andthe workmen will therefore have no indica y i5' tion that a. dangerous condition exists.V

n more clearly disclosed in theabove entitled The principal object of my invention is to remedy the defects and disadvantages of the prior'art apparatus in the respects indicated above and, more particularly, to providean improved means for indicating whether or not every blade of a gang switch hasbeen m'oved 4to its proper position. f

Another object of the present invention is to so arrange the indicating or signalling means in such a manner that the position of the switches corresponds to a dangerous condition will always be indicated unless each and every onel of the blades is positively moved to'its other position. .Y

Other objects and advantages of my ino vention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description of thek preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accom! panying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical elevation of a switch house and bus connecting cabinet, a portion n of the front wall of the same being broken away to better show the switches and as-l sociated mechanism; y l

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken sulstantially along the line 2-2 of Figure l; an

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view showing the arrangement of the operating means` and the indicating. means associated with each of the electric switches.. v Thiscase is a divisional'application of my copending application, Serial vYo.v 349,877,y filed March 25, 1929, fora new and `useful improvement in substations. l

eferring now to the drawings, it will be observed that I provide a housing 1 which may be in the form of Yan enclosing switch house for enclosing and protecting the various switches and the other electrical devices operatively associated therewith and arranged to be conveniently-accessible for purposes of inspection, repair or the like, as

copending application to which reference may be had for other details not forming a part of this invention. lVhile in this case I have illustrated a switch house of the type shown in my copending application of which this case is a division, it is to be understood that, for the purposes of the present invention, the switch house is utilized only for purposes of illustration and only to illustrate one convenient form of housing for a gang or gangs of disconnect switches with which the present invention is more intimately connected.

Disconnect switches of various types are adapted to be mounted on the interior of the housing 1, which switches may be arranged in various manners in different circuits as the occasion may demand. For purposes of illustrating the present invention I have shown the housing l as provided with an upper separating wail or partition, preferably flame proof, designated by the reference numeral 2. Below the partition 2 may be mounted or installed the various electrical devices referred to above, while above the partition I mount a pair of panels 5 and G formed of suitable material and serving as vertical walls of the housing structure for the purpose of supporting` the various switches.

The disconnect switches are all mounted in the section of the housing 1 above the partitioning horizontal separating wall 2. As shown in Figure 1, main bus disconnect switch blades 8 and transfer bus disconnect switch blades 9 of the respective phases of the associated electric circuits are mounted one above the other by any suitable means 10, 11 and 12 on the panel 5. The switches of the respective phases are separated from one another by suitable insulating transit barriers 15 of asbestos or the like, so that an arc at the disconnect switches of any one phase cannot be communicated to the other phases. Similar transit barriers at the top of the switches 8 and 9, as indicated at 16, prevent an arc which may be generated at one of the disconnect switches from extending to the top of the switch housing.

, Mounted on the other panel 6 are the switch blades 18 and 19 of the respective phases, as by suitable means 20, 21 and 22, and these switches are likewise separated by suitable transit barriers 25 and a similar barrier 26 is placed above the switches to prevent an arc from being extended upward to the top of the housing.

Any suitable means may be provided for operating the disconnect switches S, 9, 18 and 19. As best shown in Figure 2, the disconnect switches 8, 9, 18 and 19 are arranged in gangs including Vthe individual switches for 'each gang. Each gang is adapted to be separately operable by any suitable means, as just stated, and by way of example I show an operating mechanism associated with switches 8 and 1S in Figure 2. This operating mechanism may take the form of a journal shaft 30 carried by brackets 31 mounted on the panels 5 yand (i, there being a number of these brackets for adequately support ing the journal shafts. In Figure 2, I have shown a journal shaft associated with each of these gangs 8 and 18, but it is to be undo"A stood that gangs 9 and 19 also are operated by the same means in substantially the same manner.

As best shown in Figure 2l, cach of thi,

shafts 3() is provided with a plural ol' arms 33, one' for each of the nulivn'iuai switches comprising the disconnect switch gang. The arms 33 are secured in any desired manner to the shaft 30 associated therewith, and an insulating link Si is pivotalljv' mounted on the outer end of each of the arms and is projected or extended through an opening in the supporting panel or end 'ail of the housing. The inner end of each of the links 34 is connected to the switch blade 255 of the switch proper. T he latter cooperates in the usual manner with the switch contact 36.

An operating arm 38 is secured to the shaft 39, preferal'ily at one end thereof as indicated in Figure 2, and extending downwardly from the outer end of the operatingarm 23S a switch operating rod 40. The rod /lO adapted to be actuated in any desired manner, either manually or by motor, to rock the shaft 3() and swing the arms 39 to move the blades of the disconnect switches associated with that particularshaft. In this way the blades of the switches are all simultaneously moved into and out of circuit closing po.. .on.

Figure 3 illustrates in detail the above di scribed mechanism for moving the switch blades of each of the switches into and out of Circuit position, and it is to be understood that the switch blades of each of the gangs 9, 9, 18, and 19 are operated by the same or similar structure. For purpos s of clarity, however, the operating means for the diilerent gangs has been omitted from Figiuc l, it being deemed necessary only to show the situation of the switch operating means te one set or gang of disconnect switches only.

Where, as in this case, each switch gang comprises three individual switches.` it bccoines desirable to know whether or not all of the switches have been gnoperly moved when the switch operating vrod el() for each of the gangs has been. actuated. As a rule, the various switches are enclosed as illustrated and a direct observation of whether or not all of the switches have been actually operated when the lever 19 was moved is not pessible. Referring more particularly to Figure 2, it will be understood that in the event that one of the shafts 30 breaks or ruptures between the individual switches certain of the nsaamioY switches will then be shifted when therod 40 i is actuated :but others will not.` ,Hence if. an operator after operating-therod-40,in the usual `manner attempts to `maketheusual repairsorradjustments he wil-l be Vconfronted withthe dangerous condition of working on live connections and throughwhich consider: able current may be flowing. This same dangerous `condition will `prevail should `one. of the 1inks34 break or become disconnected or should one of tliecranks 33 becoineloose on the shaft 30` and Vfail to be rotated therebyl In order to clearly'indicateat a pointcapable of direct observation lwhether ori-not all of` the individual switches phave,.been movedto the proper position when the oper-4 ating rod 40 ofv that particular gang has been shifted, I provide an individual indicator 'for each of .these switchesmaking'upthe differentV gangs. Referring more particularly to Figure 3, an insulating rod 45 iispivotedy to each of the switch blades 35 andtisextended inwardly and downwardly toward the .horizontal wall or partition 2. Mounted centrally on the partition2 and inside thehousing enclosing the various disconnect switches is a shaft 47, vpreferably carried bybrackets 48 secured in vany desired mannerztothe partif tion 2. The shaft 47 carries anumber of signal fiags or indicators 5() which are freely .rotatable on the shaft `*47 and each'of which. is provided with an .upwardly extending arm .51,'as best shown in Figures land 3; These arms 51 are operatively connected .with the inner ends :of the insulatingirods or links45. Suitably yassociated with each ofthe Asignals or indicators 50jare Vthe indicatorflags 53 proper'which are formed toextend downwardly through suitable openingsin the hori- Zontal wall 2 so thattheir-positionmay be visible to the operator ori repair man.; VThe flags proper 53 may be suitablycolored if desired. y

It is to bey noted .that the signals or indicators 'just described are those which vare asso elated with the individual yswitchesmaking up the .gang switch 19.. f. Referring now more" particularly to Figure 3, `whentheshaft v3() is partition andinto the housing 1 thevisible portion 53 rof ithe Yindicator .signals -By` the gangf-19 the .operator will knowtliat all -of the'three Vphases areopenand-that asfar as4 this circuit -i's'concerned itis safe'toremovel or replace fuses, or perform any other duties required. l

mation than the `corresponding" `'indicators "50 associated'with gang-119f Thefsfwitch blade Vparatus. `On'the other hand, the signalsV rockedto `open all of the switch b1ades35 the arm 514 will be rocked in a clockwise 'direction v and will withdraw throughv the horizontal` of eachof t-he-switchesmaking up the gang 9 hasl a slotted connection with an insulating rod 61. corresponding to the insulating rod 45and which, at its lower end, vis pivoted di- 4 rectlyto the.- indicator or signal 62 in such a manner thatwhen Vthe switch blade 60 is closed thesindicator 62 is withdrawn. into the housingto the horizontal partition 2. On the other hand, when Vthe blade `35 of eachof theV switches making up ythe gang 19 .is closed, the signalY orfindicator is in position to project the visible Vportion 53 ythereof vdownwardly to the horizontal partition 2 `so as to display the signal or indicator to View. .This particular `arrangement is only one of many ar.- rangements it ispossible to effect" according to my present invention. As pointed Vout above the gang switch 9 is a'grounding switch whereas the gang switch 19 is abus disconnect switch. In this particulararrangement, therefore, where some particular piece of Aap-A paratus'is to be4r isolated itis necessary to disconnect the samefrom theline and," if possible, to ground the apparatus. As shown in Figure 1, therefore, the signals associated with the individual grounding "switches are only projected into-viewwhen one or-more` ofthe individual switches is not closed and is not, therefore, completely groundingrthe' apsociated with the bus disconnect switch gang 19 arev only projected'when .the switches are closed.

Under the conditions' justv stated, thaty is, when some particular piece of apparatus is to individual i bef-isolatedy and grounded, Vit isessential to know `tha'tiall of the bus switches are opened and thatiiall of the Aground f'switch `are `c-losed.f When this is the case, according to the present invention, all of the visible por* tions ofthesignals 50 and 62 arewithdrawn intol the housing above `the partition 2 and Y hence practically out of view ofthe operator.

Should, however, some of the connections between the individual switchesland the operating mechanism fail for one reasonr or another,

v the signal for that particular switch willi-emainprojected through the partition 2`and will therefore serve to attract the attention of the .operator and indicates that the' apparatus isunsafeV to work upon or around. i

Y One important feature of the present in# vention Arelates to thefact "that thesignals 5() `and 62 are so arranged that they tend to move by gravity toa position :corresponding to a dangerousl condition This constructionjis suchthat unlessxthe bus. switches areposi-l tively'moved to their open'position, or unless the grounding switches are positively moved n g J to'their 'closedV position, theV signals will be From Figurel l it will beV observed thatthe' indicators' associated with the disconnect switch gang are of somewhatdiierent for Thus', if'any of theconnection's between Vthe y switch` blades ofthe various switches and the' corresponding 'indicators become disabled or* broken, whereby the indicators are no longer responsive to the position of the switch blades, the signals immediately fall by gravity into a position indicating the unsafe condition of the apparatus. In this way there is extremely little likelihood of the signals or indicators failing in their purpose to indicate when the apparatus is unsafe to work upon or around.

Ihile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific means shown and described, but that, in fact, widely diiierent means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

lVliat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A switch comprising a switch blade and a switch Contact, lneans for moving the blade into and out of engagement with the contact, an insulated rod operated by the blade, and. means controlled by the rod for indicatingl the open or closed position of the switch blade.

In combination, a plurality of switches, common operating means for simultaneously opening and closing the switches, and individual signalling means associated with each switch for indicating the open or closed position of the switch.

3. In combination, a panel., a plurality of switches mounted on one side of the panel and each including a switch contact and a switch blade, means including an operating member on the other side of said panel for controlling the switches, and additional means associated with each of said switches for indicating the open or closed position of said switches.

it. In combination, a plurality of switches, each including a switch contact and a switch blade, a housing enclosing said switches, means for moving the switch blades into and out of closed circuit position, said means comprising a shaft, arms fixed to said shafts, link means connecting each arm to one of the switch blades, means for rocking said shaft for simultaneously opening and closing all of said switch blades, and indicating means associated with each switch for showing the position of each switch, and including a signal Hag for each switch blade and projecting through one wall of the housing.

In combination, a plurality of switches, each including a switch contact and a switch blade, a housing enclosing said switches, means for moving the switch blades into and out of closed circuit position, said means comprising a shaft, arms fixed to said shaft, lilik means connecting cach arm to one of the switch blades, means for rocking said shaft for simultaneously opening and closing all of said switch blades, and indicating means associated with each switch for showing the position of each switch, said indicating means including a ournal shaft mounted inside the housing adjacent one wall thereof, signal flags journaled on said shaft and including an indicator portion extending through said wall of the housing, and means connecting each of said flags to one of the switch blades.

6. In combination, a plurality of switches, each including a switch blade movable to open and closed circuit position, a housing for said switches, one set of said switches being mounted on one vertical wall of the housing and another set being mounted on another vertical wall of the housing, operating means for controlling all of said switch blades, alid indicating means associated with cach switch for showing `the position of each switch, said indicating` means including a shaft mounted inside the housing and adjacent the horizontal bottom wall thereof, signal iiags journaled on said shaft and including indicator portions extending through said bottom wall of the housing, and means connecting each of said flags to dillerent ones` of the switch blades.

7. A switch comprising a switch blade and a switch contact, means for moving the blade into and out of engagement with the contact, and means associated with the blade for indicating the open or closed position thereof, and including an indicator adapted to be moved by gravity to one of its indicating positions.

8. A switch comprising a switch blade and a switch contact, means for moving the blade into and out of engagement with the contact, and means associated with the blade for indicating the open or closed position thereof and including an indicator adapted to be moved by gravity to the indicating position which corresponds to a dangerous condition of the switch.

i). A switch comprising a switch blade and a switch contact, means for moving the blade into and out of engagement with the contact, a rod operated by the blade, and means controlled by the rod for indicating the open or closed position of the switch blade and including an indi ator adapted to be moved by gravity to one of its imlicating posit-ions in case of failure of said rod.

10. In combination, a plurality of switches, common operating means for simultaneously openingr and closing the switches, certain of' said switches establishing a dangerous condition when open and other of said switches establishing a dangerous condition when closed, and Vsignalling means associated with each switch and operatively connected therewith to indicate when any of the switches are in a position to establish a dangerous condition.

ll. In combination a plurality of switches, common operating means for simultaneously opening and closing the switches, certain of said switches establishing a dangerous condition when open and other of said switches establishing a dangerous condition when closed, visible signal flags5 one for each switch, and connecting means placing each Hag in operative association with the corresl'ionding switch, said signa-1 ags being adapted 'singly or collectively to move by m gravity to a position indicating a dangerous condition if said connecting means fails.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of November, A. D. 1930.

l5 ERNST BLOMQUIST. 

